San Francisco County
Biographies
SOLOMON
& GUSTAVE GUMP
S. & G. GUMP,
manufacturers of mirrors, wood mantels and fine wood work, and importers of
European paintings and art novelties, are situated at Nos. 581 and 583 Market street, San Francisco.
The business of this
enterprising establishment was founded in 1861 by D. Hausmann
(brother-in-law of the present proprietors) who opened a store on Clay street, near Montgomery, and continued in a very small way
until 1863, when Mr. Solomon Gump purchased an interest, and the following year
bought out the entire establishment, conducting the same general line of
business. In 1866 he removed to Sansome street,
and in 1871, owing to the growth of the business, he received his brother, G.
Gump, into the firm, under the present name of S. &. G. Gump. To keep pace
with their increasing trade, in 1874, they moved to their present commodious
and well-appointed store on Market street. Here
they have four floors and basement, size 35 x 160, which are properly arranged
and equipped for the extensive business they conduct. They
employee eighteen hands. The basement is used as a general store
room for receiving and packing goods. The first floor embraces a variety
of art productions, porcelaines, etchings, bronzes,
mirrors and fancy articles. Upon the second floor we find mantels, bronzes
and paintings. The third floor is used as a framing and
polishing department, and on the fourth floor are found the gems of the
business–their choicest porcelains, bronzes and statues–and their spacious art
gallery, which is one of the finest on the coast, all productions being by
European masters.
Mr. Solomon Gump
makes an annual trip abroad, traveling through England, France, Germany,
Austria and Italy, in collecting paintings and art productions from the salons
and exhibitions of Europe. Messrs. Gump also have a four-story factory, 25
x 75 feet at No. 251 Jessie street, where they employ twenty-four hands in the
manufacture of mantels, sideboards, etc., including all kinds of wood
productions for the interior finish of fine residences or office
buildings. They also have a branch store at Portland, Oregon, where they
have a general stock and a manufacturing department, established in 1884.
Solomon Gump, the
manager of this extensive business, was born in Heidelberg, Germany, in 1833,
and at the age of seventeen years came to the United States and settled at Appalachicola, Florida. There he was engaged in the
dry-goods business up to the breaking out of the rebellion. He was married
in New York in 1860, to Miss Louisa Livingston, a native of Connecticut. To them have been born eight children, seven of whom survive,
namely: Henrietta, wife of William Schwartz; Isabelle, wife of William Bronner; Lafayette, in charge of the store at Portland;
Alfred and Abraham, clerks in the San Francisco house; Goldina
and William.
Gustave Gump, also born in Heidelberg, came to the United States
in 1850 and settled with his brother at Appalachicola. In
1864 he came to San Francisco and clerked in a clothing house until
1871. He then joined his brother in their present business. He was
married in this city to Miss Fannie Hoffman, a native of Germany.
The Messrs. Gump are members of the F. & A. M., and the A. O. U. W.,
besides other charitable and benevolent organizations.
Transcribed
by 9-15-06 Marilyn R. Pankey.
Source: "The Bay of San
Francisco," Vol. 2, Pages 339-340,
Lewis Publishing Co, 1892.
©
2006 Marilyn R. Pankey.